Jamie Mackie wants to stay at QPR until he’s well past 35 - and is even prepared to change positions on the pitch to get his heartfelt wish.
The midfielder guttingly misses out facing former side Nottingham Forest on Saturday with an ongoing groin injury.
But with a 30th birthday due in two weeks, Mackie admits he needs to manage his body differently to keep playing.
If that means converting to a right-back in the future - the Rs favourite is up for it.
“Full-backs maybe play a little longer; keepers certainly do,” he said. “I feel when you get to this age, it’s more about how well you look after yourself. Things take longer to recover, and injuries creep in more than they did.
“People talk about finishing when you’re 35, but I want to be playing longer than that.
“Changing positions? It’s not something I’ve thought about right now, but if manager saw it in me, I’d be more than willing to do that to carry on playing.”
Mackie moved to Forest in 2013, before going to Reading on loan, and revealed he was glad to get away from a crumbling QPR rotted by a sour dressing-room.
He played 37 times that relegation season, but was only too happy to oblige when Harry Redknapp made it plain he could leave.
“The changing room wasn’t a great place to come in and work,” Mackie added.
“That’s not what QPR is about. I loved playing for the club; there was great team spirit in the Championship winning side, and it probably won’t ever be replicated. I wasn’t so sure they’d be able to change it as quick as they did.
"I’m glad I did get out when I did, but coming back it’s a completely different atmosphere. There’s a great buzz around the place with players hungry to do well for themselves and the club.”
Mackie hopes he is back in contention to play Blackburn at home on Wednesday after a month of frustration in which he was as much a victim of enthusiasm as any knock in the opening game at Charlton.
“I’m close to fitness, and maybe Blackburn is where I can get back on the bench. But I’ve got to make sure when I come back, I don’t go back out.
“I did the injury about two weeks before Charlton. I didn’t train for 10 days, but played in the game, and it wasn’t probably wasn’t the right thing to do, but I’m chaffing at the bit to get back now.”
